Ann Wilson & Tripsitter: Live in Concert Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		0.0
Overall		3.5

Ann Wilson & Tripsitter: Live in Concert Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman June 4, 2025

Long before Seattle's music cred exploded with the nascent Grunge movement, the Wilson Sisters were proving that the Emerald City had considerable musical talent to exploit. Like any pair of siblings, Ann and Nancy have reportedly had their "issues" through the years, leading to so- called "hiatuses" for Heart and each sister claiming the Heart imprimatur for themselves, at least on occasion. Nancy has had her own pretty well publicized health issues over the past few years which have additionally intruded to all the backstage drama, all of which may be one reason why this particular concert features Ann with her own group Tripsitter, though it's salient to note both the play list for the performance (see screenshot 9) and even the marquee for the gig (see screenshot 6), both of which either overtly or subliminally reference the band that made both Wilson Sisters famous. And in fact perhaps a little comically (if maybe disturbingly for Wilson), the audience's reactions to the opening riffs of big Heart tunes is noticeably louder than some of the tunes off of the Wilson solo outing (which looks like it never charted).

Ann has released a few solo albums, and this concert fitfully promotes her 2023 release Another Door, though frankly you can hear the audience's more energized reactions to the classic Heart songs Wilson and her band offer rather liberally throughout the slightly over an hour playing time. The "archival" songs are presented with arrangements at least relatively close to the originals, and both Paul Moak and Ryan Wariner in particular offer some sterling work on guitars. This is a relatively small venue and that may actually redound to the benefit of both Wilson and the band, as they seem to genuinely interact with the audience and seem to feed off the love they're getting from the crowd.

As mentioned above, the concert's play list can be seen in screenshot 9.

Ann Wilson & Tripsitter: Live in Concert Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Ann Wilson & Tripsitter Live in Concert is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of Mercury Studios with an AVC encoded 1080i transfer in 1.78:1. There's maybe thankfully not a lot of "arena rock" shenanigans going on in terms of lighting arrays and/or "accoutrements" like smoke machines or dry ice, all of which actually gives viewers a better accounting of what's taking place on stage. Coverage throughout is generally good, though there are several instances of wobbly focus pulling, especially when camera operators try to zoom in or out suddenly. That said, overall this is a nicely sharp and well detailed looking presentation, with some commendable fine detail at times. Some of the backlighting for instance can clearly display some of Wilson's flyaway hairs as she sings. Brief combing artifacts can be spotted during fast movements like hands strumming guitars or drumsticks in motion.

Ann Wilson & Tripsitter: Live in Concert Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Mercury Studios has been a bit "iffier" than their former branding Eagle Rock Entertainment in terms of their concert release choices, and that continues with this release, which offers only an LPCM 2.0 track (i.e., no surround offering). The stereo track boasts great fidelity and supports both Wilson's commanding vocals (and occasional flute playing), as well as the combined forces of the rhythm instruments, but I'm sure there will be some, maybe diehard Heart fans among them, who would have preferred a more spacious presentation.

Ann Wilson & Tripsitter: Live in Concert Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

There are no supplements of any kind on this disc. The insert sleeve does offer an inner print with both band personnel and production crew information.

Ann Wilson & Tripsitter: Live in Concert Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Heart's history is rather interesting from any number of angles, including their "reinvention" in the mid-eighties when they started recording for Capitol. Ann still sounds absolutely fantastic, but there may be "something" missing from these performances, at least for longtime Heart fans. The good news is Heart is currently on tour as this review is being written. For those not able to get to one of their performances, this disc may serve as at least an appetizer of sorts. With caveats noted, Recommended.